Can-sealing machine.



R. 8a A. S. REID.

CAN SEALINB MACHINE.

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1 APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1909. 31, 36,499, Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R. & A. S. REID.

CAN SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1909.

Patented Apr. 20, '1915.

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Jiav R. & A. S. REID.

CAN SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION nun MAY 29. 1909.

Patented 20, 1915.

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' R. & A. S. REID.

CAN SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATiON HLED MAY 29, 1909.

Pateilted Apr. 20, 1915.

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R. & A. s REID.

CAN SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1909.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

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Unrrnn s'ra'rns rarnrrr OFFICE.

ROBERT REID AND ANDREW S..B,EID, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOBS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 ARTHUR H. PARKER, BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, AND WILLIAM H. EMERSON, 0T1 NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAll-SEALING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Roenn'r Ram and ANDREW S. REID, of Beverly, inthe county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Sealing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention 1s to provide a machine capable of sealing cans, such for instance as are used for containing and preserving food products, hermetically by mechanical means solely and without the employment of solder.

In carrying the invention into effect we provide mechanism by which a sealing strip of metal or other material having the neces- "sary strength and requisite degree 01" flexibility, which is folded longitudinally, may be applied to the projecting edges or flanges of a can body and cover thereof so as to inclose such flanges, and for then compressing the sides of the sealing strip upon opposite sides of the flanges with a suflic ient degree of pressure to make an air-tight joint. Hitherto a mechanically sealed can .has been devised in which the body and cover are provided with overlapping flanges inclosed by. a sealing strip which is doubled between its side edges so as to be U-shaped in cross section, and applied over the edges of such flanges and compressed thereupon, such for instance as is shown in the patentto John C. Bowers, No. 867,239, dated October 1, 1907, but up to the present time, so far as we are aware, no machine has been devised for automatically applying and compressing such a sealing strip upon a can of this character. Vi e have accordingly devised means by which a can may be held in a definite location, a strip of the general character indicated applied to the flanges of the can and its cover, and the whole given av progressive movement relatively to clamping devices, which act successively at all points on the can flanges and the enveloping strip to press the edges of the strip against theopposite sides of the can flanges and shape the strip conformably to the periphery of the can. in connection with the can holding and stripclamping means we provide also mechanism by which a flat strip of metzil or the like may be foldedor doubled at its longitudinal center to form a sealing strip of the Specification of Letters Patent. E'atented Apr, 20, 1915, Application filed May 29, 1909. Serial No. aea aa.

character indicated, which is U shaped in cross section.

An embodiment of our invention illustrating in concrete form the principles bywhich our object is carried into effect, is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine {suitable for carrying out the purpose off'our "invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 is an end View as seen from the left of Figs. 1 and 2. F1g. 4 1s a sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken on of the can holder and the mechanism for operating it, the same being a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view or" a can or receptacle sealed by a strip ap plied by this machine. Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are sectional views of a strip illustrating its transformation from flat or ribbon form into the longitudinally. folded U-shaped final form given to it by instrumentalities forming part of our invention. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the can, showing the strip applied thereto for sealing the cover upon the can body. Fig. 12 is an elevation of the end of the machine opposite to that shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view on line 13.13 of Fig. 1. Fig. 14 is a plan view of the cutting mechanism shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the cutters employed in severing lengths or blanks from a flat strip to be transformed into a sealing strip. Fig. 16 is a perspective View of a portion of the strip, showing the character of cut made by the cutters. Figs. 17 and 18 are views in elevation of two pairs of stripbending and feeding rolls. Fig. 19 is a plan view illustrating in detail certain of the cams employed in operating the mechanism.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

The machine is designed to seal a can as shown in Fig. 6, such a can consisting of the body 1 and a cover 2, which, as shown in Fig. 11 are provided respectively, with projecting flanges 3 and l which are adapt- .00

ed to lie close together when the cover is set into the body of the can. The flanges of course may extend inany direction from the can and have any desired relation with the can body and cover, our objectbeing to 105 enable a can to be sealed by clamping a line 4% of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view in detail cover, whatever may be the direction in which they project. A strip -5 which is U. shaped in cross section, is placed upon the flangesB and 4 so that its sides or flaps embrace the opposite outer faces of the flanges, and its folded central portion extends over the edges of the flanges. This strip ispreferably of thin sheet metal, such as .softsteel,

which is inserted at the, right-hand end of the machine, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in..- the form of a narrow, flat ribbon It asses through a guide 6 between feed rolls and 8, which advance it past cooperating cutters '9 and 10. These cutters are shaped as shown in detail in Fig. I5, so as to sever the strip on a zig-zag line, giving the rear end of the strip a; tongue or ear 11 which" overlies the end of the strip firstapplied to the can and serves as a'handle, which maybe bent up and grasped to enable the strip to be ripped from the flanges, thus unsealing the can and allowing the cover to be removed.

the'strip goes between complemental forming rolls which fold 'or double it longitudinally and give it a U-form in cross section. In the present embodiment of the machine there are three sets of forming rolls, although more or, less may-be employed, according to needs, of which the first set, represented by 12 and 13, are illustrated in detail in Fig. 17, and-are provided respectively with a V-shaped groove 14 and a rib 15.

These rolls givethe strip a V-shape as ill-ustrated in Fig. 8. Next the strip passes between rolls 16 and 17 having respectively a groove and a complemental rib which are more rounded and the sides of which are more nearly parallel than is the case of the corresponding parts ofthe rolls 12 and 13. These rolls shape the strip,-as .shown in Fig. 9. Finally the strip passes between finish ing rolls 18 and 19, shown in detail in Fig. 18, and having respectivelythe groove 20 and rib 21, giving the final form to the strip, as shown in Fig. 10. These rolls leave the strip with its sides parallel and the space between them of just sufficient width to pass over the flanges on the can. The cutters act after a sufiicient length of the strip has been passed between theforming rolls to completely surround the can and overlap at its ends. After leaving the finishingrolls, the strip passes through a guide 22 having a groove 23 suitably sl" .pedto receive it, to the compressing rolls 24 25 shown in Fig. 4, between winch 1the flanges of the can 3nd It?! superpose sea mg strip are grippe e can is placed upon-the holder 26 and ,held

thereon by apre'sser foot 27 hearing on the can. cover, whith together position the can sol-that its flanges are in line with the groove of guide 22 andare between the clamping I Fig. 2; This carrier consists After passing the feed rolls and cutters,

stationary, so that it is partial of the machine are directly operated.

or setting rolls. The can, cover and rolls are given a progresslve relative motion, the

latter being at the same time rotated, so as to carry the entire length of the flanges and strip'between the rolls and subject the-same at all points to the clamping pressure;

Preferably it is the holder which has the progressive motion, the rolls remaining in the same location as here illustrated. The

holder is given translative and rotative m'pvements so as to cause the straight porfit'lons of the can to travel past the rolls and v to turn the can at its corners, and the driving mechanism therefor ls-so arranged as I deposited therein by means of a can carrier 28, which reciprocates in guideways 29 toward. -.and from the holder 26,- as shown in of a bar or tongue 30, a holder 3l-having jaws between which the end of the can ispositioncd, as shown by dotted lines 34 to retain the can in the space provided The displaced cans fall from the holder upon the table 35, from which they are removed by the attendant.

In order to displace the sealed can from the pocket wherein it is contained-in the top of the holder 26, which pocket is surrounded by a rib 36, the bar or tongue 30 is causedto enter a groove 37 in the holder beneath the pocket, and the holder is then moved downward. This leaves the can supported by the tongue, and it is then carried away from the holder. Then the unsealed can contained in the carrier 28 is directly over 'the pocket inthe holder, the latter rises and the g in Fig.- 1 and 'a gate .32 pivoted to an arm 33 extending from one of the jaws. This gate is caused by a spring p'resser-foot 27 descends, holding the can left' on the holder when the carrier retracts.

The foregoing describes in brief the operations of formin a strip and applying it to the can to be sea ed. In order to understand the mode by which these operations'are accomplished, it is necessary to examine the mechanisms in detail.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2-and3, the main 'drive shaft by which power is delivered to the machine is indicated by 38, carrying the usual pulleys 39 4,0. This shaft has abevel (gear 41 meshingwith a gear 42 on aishaft 13, the latter also having a bevel pinion 44 meshing with a complemental gear-45 on the ,cam shaftl 46 which carries the cams and other machine elements by which the'various The shaft 43 also carries a sprocket 47, which, by means of a chain 48, drives a sprocket 49 on the shaft 50 of the clamp or strip-setting roll 25, the complemental roll 24 being driven from the shaft 50 by gears 51 and 52. It may be noted here that the roll 25 has a flange 25 which overlaps the active face of the roll 24 and holds the sealing strip up against the edges of the box flanges.

On the cam shaft 46 is a disk 53 which carries a gear segment or mutilated gear 54 driving the can holder and the strip-feeding and forming rolls. On the disk 53 is also a cam 55 which actuates the presser 27 through a rod 56 hearing against the cam, a lever 57 against one arm of which the rod 56 acts, and the presser bar 58 on which the second arms of the lever 57 acts. This bas is loosely .mounted in a head 59 so that it may move up and down, and is lifted by a spring 60 when the pressure of the rod 56 is released, as when the lower end of that rod is in a depression in the cam. On the head 59 is a bracket 61 to which the lever 57 is pivotally connected.

The means by which the gear segment or mutilated gear 54 actuates the can holder so as to carry the can or box to be sealed progressively by the pressure rolls, is a pinion 62 mounted on a shaft 63 and meshing with the gear 54. On this shaft, as shown in Fig. 4, is keyed a pinion 64 which drives a broad faced pinion 65 by means of an intermediate idler 66; The pinion 65 meshes with teeth 67 formed on the periphery of the lower part of the box holder 26, which holder rests on a plate or table 68. The end of shaft 63 projects beyond the plate 68 into a chamber 69 within the box holder and has loosely mounted upon it a block 70 which retains the side of the holder in engagement with the-pinion 65. It should be notedthat the holder 26 is shaped so that the pitch line of the teeth 67 correspond withthe outline of the flanges on the can or box. The block Kiss,

70 is so shaped, asshown in Fig. 5, that when it is located in the corner of the recess 69 it arreststhe holder so that the-center of curvature of the line of teeth at the corner coincides with the axis of the shaft. As the pinion 65 is rotated by the mechanism above' described, the holder 26 is moved bodily, being guided between the block 70 and a rail 71 fixed beside the holder, until one of the walls of the holder brings u, against the block. Then further rectiliii' ar motion of the holder is prevented and ith e holder constrained to swing about the *txxis'pf the shaft until the next straight side bears a-gainst'the rib 71. Thereby all the sides and corners of'the can flanges are carried between the pressure-rolls in proper position to have the strip squeezed upon them. Forcans and boxes of' other shapes. than that illustrated, correspondingly shaped holders are used and guide blocks 70 of appropriate form .are employed so as to give the holders either continuous rotary movements or a combination of rotary and trans- "lative movements. f

The rising and falling movement'of. the can holder previously described as being pro vided to permit removal of the cans from the holder is accomplished .by'the shaft 63 which is movable endwise as well as being rotatable. This shaft is provided with a shoulder 63 which underlies the table or plate 68 and supports the same. On the lower end of the shaft is fixed a yoke 72 carrying a roll 73 resting upon the upper face of a cam 74 on the cam shaft 46. The rises and falls of this cam are so proportioned that the shaft and to equalize the pressure. To permit of this result the shaft 76 on which the roll 24 is secured is journaled in a bracket 77 pivs oted at 78 so as to oscillate in the. plane .of

the shafts 50 and 76. A weight 79 appliespressure to the roll 24 through a lever 80 pivoted at 81 to the machine frame and having a foot 82 which bears against the. bracket 77. As the distance of the weight from the lever fulcrum 81' is much greater than the distance of the foot 82, an immensely mcreased pressure is applied by the latter. on

the roll bracket, whereby a great force is exerted by the roll 24 on the strip.

For the purpose of admitting a new. box. and the end of the sealing strip therefor be tween the rolls 24 and 25, the latter are separated at each cycle of the machine.. I

This" separation is accomplished'by a cam surface 83 on the lower side of the cam disk 74, which .acts against one arm of a. lever 85, the other arm of said lever actuating a rod 86, one end of which bears gainst a pin 87 projecting from the side of'the lever 80. When the projecting part of the cam acts on the lever 85, the rod 86 is raised and pressurerelieved from the rolll25, allowing. the sealing strip to be crowded between the y same and the complemental roll. The cutter 9 which severs a length ofstrip sufiicient for eadh can is carried-by a.-

slide 88 reciprocable in guides 89.

This 1' f slide. is normally held retracted, as shown-in Figs. 13 and 14 by a spring 90, and is advanced to sever the strip by a lever 9 I"piv-v oted at 92 in the frame and projecting through a slot93 in the slide. The lower endvofthis lever projects below the table of the machine and is acted upon bya second lever 94, one end of which bears against the end of lever 91, while a toe 95 on the second arm thereof, as shown in Fig.1 1 by dotted "lines, bears againstfthe periphery of the cam disk 74 hereinbefort; referred.

A spring 96 maintains this toe against'the disk so that whenever a notch 97 in the disk reaches the toe, the latter is drawn inward, forcing the outer arm of the lever and the lower arm of lever 91 outward, and causing the slide to move inwa d, carrying the mov- 7 toward the cutter 9 by a spring 99.

The end of the cutter 10 is notched at 100 and the side of the cutter 9 is recessed or grooved at 101, forming a corner 102 which enters the notch of the cutter 10, and providing a recess for the corner 103 of the latter cutter. The edges a b and c of the cutter 10 coiiperating with the corresponding edges of the cutter 9, sever the strip on a line, as shown in Fig. 16, to provide t e ton e or handle 11.

The stripceding and forming rolls are driven from the gear segment 54 by a pinion 104 on a stud 105. The latter carries a pinion 106 which through the gear train107 108 109 drives the finishing rolls 18 19, the

last-named gear being on the shaft of the roll 19, and the same shaft carrying a pinion 110, which, meshing with acomplemental pinion on the shaft of roll 18, drives the latter roll. It may be noted that each set of rolls is driven by complemental ninionsllO, 111, as shown in Fig. 12, the pinion 110 of each pair being the active one. Between the rolls 19 and 17 is a carrying pinion 112, between 17 and 13 a pinion 113,

and between 13 and 8 a larger wheel 114 which is eat enough to bridge the space required or the cutters. Through this train all of the rolls are driven at a uniform speed. Each roll is carried in' an adjustable bracket typically shown in Fig. 12, which illustrates the endmost feed rolls -7- and 8 I and their holder. The shafts are journaled in upright bearings 115 .116, the bases of which 118 restu on'the table 35 ofthe maeld by 'bolts 119 passing, through slots therein. Screws 120 pass chine and are through lugs 121 into the bases of the brackets and serve toadjust them. In advance of each set of rolls is a guide 122 for the strip, each of these guides being approximately like the guides 6 and 22 previously de-.-

scribed, and supported by brackets 12?, which are bolted to the table'35. 1 v

In Fig. 1, the extent of the mutilated gear 54, which" drives the can holder and. the strip-feeding rolls, indicated, and from The returning is. ac-

this figure it will be noted that the feed-of the strip and the speed of driving .of' the can are related, so that the properiength of strip is formed and severedat each 2 l of operations. It will be also noted that he mutilated gear releases the train which drives the feeding and forming rolls almost as soon asit enga 'es the shaft 63 which drives the holder.

carrier consists of a bell-crank lever 121 connected by a link 125 and a bracket 126 on the lower side of the carrier between the guideways 29. The shorter-arm of this lever carries a roll 127 which is acted u on by an arm 128 and a slide129'arranget to reciprocate in the stationary guideway 130. This slide has a'fork 131 at its upper end carrying a roll 132 which is acted upon by'a cam 133 secured to the cam. shaft 46 reviously described. Aspring ldt holdstbe ihereby the feed ceases, while the strip is being appliedto the can. The mechanism for reciprocating the can When the cam protuberance passes the" roll 132 the parts are returned by the spring 134.

The omplete operation of the machine is as follbws: The strip 5 is drawn into the:v machine by the rolls until a sufiicient'lengtu has passed the cutters to make a seal for the entire can, whenv its movement ceases.

Shortly after the strip becomesstationary, the cutter 9 is actuated to sever the strip and the 'feed 1'e-commences,carrying the strip 'into the nip of thev clampingflrolls 24 v A can having previously been set in the holder, the strip is caused by the; guide22 .to embrace the flanges of the can, and to be included with them between the pressure rolls. As soon as the forward end. of the gear 54 engages. the pinion 62, the. can holder is driven, as previously describedflo carry the entire length of thesealing flanges and strip between the pressure rolls,'it being understood that immediately before this movement begins, the roll 24 has been permittedto bear upon the strip by reason of the-cam 83 having. released; the leverI85Hn'd allowed the rod 86 and arm .80- to descend.

The holder continues its travel uninterrul' the holder beneath the finished; can. A depression .i'n the cam 74 then allows the shaft 63 to drop, causingthe holder 26 to fall away from under the can and leaving it on 50 Ward end embraces the flanges of the that 2. lug 135 on its under side strikes the can holder and moves it back into the starting position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5, thus neutralizing the over-motion given to vthe carrier to secure the overlapping end of the strip. As the segment 54: is out of mesh with thedriving mechanism for the holder,

the latter is free to be moved reversely, and at the same time this motion sets the pinion 62 in position to mesh correctly with the segment 54, when the latter next returns into driving position. Cam 74 next raisesthe shaft 53 so as to pick up the unsealed can in the carrier, and at the same time the Presser-foot :27 is caused by the cam 55 to descend, whereby the can is held so that it may not slip out of the holder. lmmedi ately upon the can being secured in the holder, the carrier 28 returns with a rapid motion, permitted by the'abrupt slant of the cam 133, as shown in Fig. 3. The strip is then brought up through the guide 22 and laid on the flanges of the can, and the stripsetting rolls are allowed to grip the flanges and strip. Then the segment 54 engages the 0 pinion 62, the can holder is set into motion,

and the cycle of operations is repeated.

We desire it to be understood that the ma- "chine hereinbefore described is not the only possible embodiment of our invention, but

' isillustrative merely of one of the Wars in which the invention may be carried into effect, and of the principles which We employ in practising the invention.

We claim 1. A machine for closing cans, comprising holding means constructed and arranged to graspa can with its cover in place, such can and cover having outwardly projecting flanges lying closely together, a strip feed 5 comprising a plurality of pairs of rolls adapted to grasp a flat strip and constructed to indent andfold such strip about its 1011 gitudinal center line, saidrolls being also arranged to advance the strip until its forcan, a positioning mechanism for the strip arranged to bear on the strip on opposite sides of said flanges, and also outside of the edges of the flanges, and means for producing a 55 relative movement of, revolutions between said mechanism and the can-holder whereby the strip is bent around the can and its edge portions caused to embrace the flanges throu hout their entire extent.

can-sealing machine comprising a can holder, a pair of rolls located with respect to said holder so that a can carried by the latter and having overlapping edges projecting from its body and cover may have such edges gripped between said rolls, means for feeding a longitudinally folded sealing strip to said rolls, and mechanism for producing a relative progressive motion of said holder and rolls to cause application of the clamping pressure to such edges, and to said sealing strip folded about the same, throughout their entire extent.

3. A machine for fastening the cover to the body of a can having adjacent'flanges on its body and cover by means of a sealing strip, comprising a holder for the articleto be sealed, strip-feeding and folding means constructed to bend a strip transversely about its longitudinal center and place such strip with its sides embracing the flanges of the can, strip-setting means for placing and holding said strip upon the can flanges, feeding means for imparting relative movements to said setting means and holder, constructed and arranged to cause the pressureof the setting means to be applied to all parts or" the can flanges and strip throughout'more than the entire-circuit of the flanges, whereby an overlapping and of the strip may be set, and means for restoring the setting means and holder to their relative starting positions between successivc operations.

l, A machine for hermetically sealing by mechanical means a can having adjacent. flanges on its body and cover, comprising a holder for the article to be sealed, stripfeeding and folding means constructed to bend a strip transversely about'its longitudinal center and place suchstrip with its sides embracing the flanges of the can, stripsetting meansfor clamping said strip upon the can flanges, and mechanism for giving said holder a movement past said setting means in such directions as to bring every part of the strip and flange into position to be acted on by said setting means, and througha distance greater than the peripheral length of the flanges, whereby to Set an overlapping end of the Strip.

An organized automatic machine for applyinga scaling strip to the overlapping projecting edges of a cam body and cover, comprising a can holder, feeding mechanism arranged to advance and gr. is a strip, folded longitudinally in U-form, until its forward end is placed on and embraces said edges. a pair of cooperating pressure meinsbcrs arranged to bear on the opposite sides of the strip when so placed, ineans'forreleasing said members as the Strip and edges are placed between them, means for forcing the,members;togbther to grip the strip and 6. A can sealing machine comprising a can holder formed to support a can and having a raised portionvto retain the can thereon, a presser for holding the can against the holder, cooperating strip-applying members arranged in such relation to said holder as to receive between them flanges projecting from the body and cover of the can, and a sealing strip folded to embrace such flanges, means for giving a progressive relative movement between the can-holder and said members to cause the latter to act on the entire extent of the strip, and means for removing a sealed can from the holder and placing a can to be sealed thereon.

7 A can sealing machine comprising a can holder havinga cavity to receive the can to be sealed, a presser for retaining such can in said cavity, cooperating pressure members arranged in such relation to said holder as to receive between them flanges projecting from the body and cover of the can and a sealing strip folded to embrace "'such flanges, means for giving a progressive relative feed movement between the can holder and said pressure means to carry the strip about the flanges and apply it to all parts thereof, and means for removing a completed can from said holder and depositing a can to be sealedin the cavity thereof.

8. A can-sealing machine comprising a can holder having a cavity or pocket to contain the can to be scaled, cooperating the feeder tongue crosses 'th'latter, leaving setting members arranged with respect to said holder so as to receive between them -flanges projecting from the can body and cover, and a sealing strip folded to embrace such flanges, mechanism for driving said setting members and holder to present the entire length of the flanges and strip to the clamping members, a can feeder movable across said holder and having a tongue to enter the latter within the can-receiving recess thereof, and means for eflecting Withdrawal of the holder While said tongue is in such recess, whereby the can is supported by the tongue and freed from the boundaries of such recess.

9. In a machine of the character described, a can holder having a raised partto engage and retain a can to be sealed, in combination with a an feeder having means for supporting an unsealed can and including a projecting arm adapted to pass under the raised part of the can holder, and means for reciprocating said can holder in a direction transverse to the movement of said feeder so as to withdraw the-holder while the can supported by saidtongue andfree from the raised'part of the holder, and

means for returning the holder to engage a can-carried by said feeder.

10. In a can-sealing machine, a holder by which the cans are supported while being sealed, and a feeder for presenting unsealed cans to said holder and removing sealed cans therefrom, and means for moving said holder transversely to the motion of said feeder for respectively engaging and releasvanced, and mechanism for causing the holder to reeede while the tongue is across remove the can from the recess, and for returning ,the holder to engage an unsealed pan presented thereto by the carrier.

' 12. In a can-sealing machine, in combination with a holder-for the cans to besealed and clamping means-for securing a sealing strip about said cans, mechanism for forming asealing strip comprising a series of rolls constructed to feed a strip in the form of flat ribbon or tape and form a longitudinal indentation approximately in the center thereof, said rolls being arranged to feed the strip to the can and place it thereon, and also formed so as progressively to deepen .the indentation and draw the sides of the strip nearer together, giving the strip a U-form in-cross-seetion.

13. In a can-sealing machine, in combination with a holder for the cans to be'sealed and means for placing a sealing strip upon adjacent flanges of the body and cover of the can and bending the strip around the ingly-shaped groove, and the subsequent rolls having cooperating U-shaped ribs and grooves of increasing height and diminishing thickness, whereby a fiat strip is prosaid recess, whereby the tongue is caused to 4 gressively folded in to U-shape in cross section.

' 14. In a can-sealing machine, a holder for cans to be sealed, strip-setting means for placing the edges of a. folded sealing strip about the sealing flanges of a can, means for anism for producing a relative feed move-- merit between the can .holder and placing flanges are subjected to the action of the latter, and common driving means for said feeding mechanism and strip-bending mechanism. i

15. In a can-sealing machine, a can holder, a strip setter, mechanism for producing a relative feed movement between said can holder and strip setter, whereby the flanges and sealing strip of a can are acted on at all .points by said setting means, and driving means for said mechanism constructed to cause such food to continue throughout more than the entire circuit of the can, and then to release such mechanism and allow the holder and strip setter to return to theirnormal starting positions.

1.6. In a can-sealing machine, a can holder, a strip setter, mechanism for producing a relative feed movement between said can holder and strip setter, whereby the flanges and sealing strip of a can are acted on at all points by said setting meaiis, and a inutilated gear actuating said feed mechanism and having an extent s'utlicient to continue the feed throughout more than the entire extent of the flanges, whereby an overlapping end of the strip may be secured, said gear being arranged to release said -feed-' ing mechanism and allow return of the holder and setting means into position for commencing action upon a subsequent can.

' 1.7. In a can-sealing machine a can-holder, movable longitudinally and rotarily, a strip setter having members arranged to embrace flanges on a can and its cover and a longitudinall y folded strip surrounding said flanges, mechanism for causing the can means, whereby all parts of the strip and such feeder to return the can-holderto its initial position. 1

18. In a machine of the character de-' scribed, a can-holder, cooperating StIiP SQt: ting members arranged with respect to said holder so as to embrace flanges upon the body and cover of a can held thereon and a sealing strip folded so as to embrace said flanges, mechanism for giving the holder a feed movement past said setting members,

guiding means for causing such movement to consist of translative and rotative movements, a driver for said mechanism constructed to cause the feed of the holder to continue through more than the entire circuit of the can and then to release such mechanism and leave the holder free to be 1 otherwise moved, a can-feeder movable to ward and from the can-holder-in' the line of the concluding movement-of the holder, and mechanism for moving said can-feeder toward the holder to place an unsealed can on the latter and simultaneously move the holder back into its starting position.

19. In a box-sealing machine, a Workholder comprising two members adapted to clamp a box and its cover between them, means for rotating said. Work-holder, and means for forming and. sealing a strip upon the edge of said box held in said-workholder.

20. In a box-sealing machine, a workholder comprising two members adapted to clamp a box and its cover between them, means for rotating said work holder, and means for automatically separating the members of said work-holder to release the work and for closing them together to clamp the work, in combination with sealing rolls adapted to apply a sealing strip to the flanges of the work, and means for releasing said scaling rolls coincidentally withthe separation of the members of the work holder.

In testimony whereof we have aliixed our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

' ROBERT REID.

ANDREW S. REID. \Vitnesses CHARLES .X. BAKER, Aaron M. SWEETMAN. 

